Second Lieutenant Leo Carlton, B-24 co-pilot, joined the 459th Bombardment Group at Giulia Field, Italy, in Spring 1944. Over the next 39 days, he fought through enemy flak and fighters on 14 bombing missions above southern Europe.
On June 9, 1944, Leo joined a new B-24 crew for a bombing run over Munich, Germany. After dropping their bombs, the plane took several hits. Two engines were badly damaged and the plane was quickly losing fuel. In desperation, they landed the failing bomber on a decoy airstrip in German-occupied Austria. Freedom in Switzerland was less than 500 feet away, but there was no safe way to reach it. Leo would spend the next 11 months as a Prisoner of War.
Struggling to survive on a forced march in the dead of winter with little food and inadequate clothing, Leo was ready to fall to the ground and let death take over. Someone had other plans and four simple words pushed him to continue his fight. His only desire was to make it home and propose – for a fourth time – to the woman he loved, Lois Gates. With each passing day, liberation seemed so close, yet so far away.
The novel, Love of Country Leads Me, is a work of historical fiction based on the true story of Leo Carlton.
Check out photos of Leo as they relate to his story.
Current Status
Current Word Count: 94,028
Chapters Complete: Prologue + Chapters 1-30
Status: The writing was complete on June 6, 2024. I’m currently in the editing and revision process, in addition to looking at publishing options.
As much as I want to publish in 2024, it’s not going to happen. My anticipated publish date is possibly sometime in 2025. However, I am trying to publish with a traditional publisher, which may delay it even more so the launch of the book can be done right.
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Updated September 17, 2024
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After joining my email list, I will mail you a copy of the prologue, as well as three Love of Country Leads Me bookmarks – one for you, and two for friends. Plus, I’ll email you monthly updates on the status of Love of Country Leads Me. Each email will include some behind-the-scenes look at some of the pages, stories, processes and research associated with the life of Leo Carlton.
About the Author
Jason Carlton is the grandson of Leo Carlton, and is often told, “You look just like your grandpa.” In 2010, he transcribed an hour-long video interview of Leo Carlton talking about his military experience in World War II and subsequent POW experience. Since then, Jason has been working to fill in the gaps in order to tell the complete story.
Over the years, Jason’s inquisitive mind made discoveries even Leo’s own children wouldn’t have believed. For example, while scrolling through a Facebook group dedicated to the 459th Bombardment Group, Jason saw a photo of a B-24. The accompanying text listed a MACR (Missing in Action Crew Report) number that matched that of his grandpa’s. He was looking at a photo of the Cherry II – the plane Leo was flying when he made that emergency landing. He couldn’t believe he was looking at an actual photo of his grandpa’s plane.
Retracing Leo’s Footsteps in Europe
A few years later, another member of that Facebook group posted something about the Cherry II. He lived in a small Austrian town and was working on a history of the plane and crew. Turns out, that Austrian town was where the Cherry II had landed and where the crew began their POW experience. Jason and Eric Jaeger quickly connected and exchanged numerous emails before scheduling a visit to Höchst, Austria. Eric arranged a day for the entire family to walk where Leo walked – the landing site and the building where they spent their first night as POWs. The family also met eyewitnesses to that fateful day in 1944 who saw the troops marched through town.
The family visited Leo’s prisoner of war camp near Sagan, Poland. The Stalag Luft III Museum curator, Marek, took the family to see remnants of the chimney and support structure for Leo’s barracks.
Following this visit, Jason felt he was to the point where he could write the story of Leo Carlton. As a result, the novel – Love of Country Leads Me – was born.
Ducit Amor Patriae (Latin for Love of Country Leads Me)
